One of Them
by kickcows
Summary: Orihime and the gang have returned from Hueco Mundo, but Orihime keeps having dreams of a certain green-eyed Espada. Unable to think clearly, she turns to a certain shopkeeper for help. This is set as an alternate timeline, picking up after the Hueco Mundo arc. Pairing: UlquiHime. Rated M for: mature situations. Gift fic. Two shot.
1. Chapter 1

**This is for Brittanie (randomfan17). This is my second het story, as I tend to write yaoi more often than not. I happen to love the idea of these two together very much, so when she requested it, I was more than up to the challenge. Characters belong to Kubo Tite, and the story...well...I suppose it's mine. We'll say it's set after the events of Hueco Mundo, as an offshoot of what may have happened in another universe. I hope you all enjoy. This will be a two-part story.**

* * *

...

Staring down at her thumbnail, noticing that the emerald polish she had taken to wearing since returning from the world that was trapped in darkness was beginning to chip, Orihime Inoue barely heard her friend speaking to her. All she could see was the eternal night in her mind, and of the one person that had yet to leave her mind, even though he had left her completely alone.

"Earth to Orihime!" A hand waved in front of her face as her eyes shifted their focus from her hand to the person standing directly in front of her desk. "Where are you right now?"

She gave a small shrug of her shoulders, sighing softly. "Nowhere, Tatsuki-chan." As of late, her mind kept losing focus, with her thoughts still lingering on other matters. Grabbing her school bag, she placed the strap over her shoulder and gave her friend her million watt smile. "Did you bring your lunch?"

"I did, but that doesn't answer my question," Tatsuki said, giving her friend a quizzical look. "Why didn't you bounce up out of your chair like you always do?"

They had only been back for a couple of weeks, and Orihime was still having trouble trying to adjust to her life. Acting as if nothing had happened while she was gone, when a _lot_ happened, was not a very easy task. She could barely keep her attention on anything that was happening, as she kept feeling like she was still trapped in the white walls of her prison. She had taken to wearing a lot of green, as that's the color she saw most in her mind, those eyes that looked back at her with such utter sadness as he disappeared. _Ulquiorra_. She walked out of the classroom with her best friend, surprised at how well adjusted everyone else that had gone to save her was acting.

Her burnt orange hair swung behind her back, the length now longer than she's ever worn it. She didn't want to cut it, just in case she ever... "Inoue-san! Watch where you're going!"

Ishida Uyru grabbed her arm before she walked off the side of the building, so lost in thought, she hadn't realized that they had already arrived outside. Giggling, she shook her head and looked up at her friend. "Arigatou, Ishida-kun. I guess I should pay more attention, huh?" She gave him the same smile she had given Tatsuki before leaving the classroom for lunch.

"What is going on with you?" Tatsuki muttered, shaking her head as she sat down on the ground. "One minute you're spaced out, the next, you're laughing like it's nothing. Orihime, what is going on?"

A silence came over the group, as both Keigo and Mizuiro were there, along with Ichigo, Sado and the man who had just stopped her from falling off the building. Orihime couldn't look over at the three men, whose stares she could feel on her face, but refused to look at them. "Nothing, Tatsuki-chan. I'm just really tired today, okay?" Instead of her bright smile, she gave her friend a smaller one, the corners of her lips barely turning upward. Silently hoping that would satisfy her friend's inquest, she pulled her brown bag out of her school bag and began to eat.

"Inoue."

Her heart clenched as she heard the voice she was hoping wouldn't add to the finished conversation. Glancing up, she looked at his auburn eyes, but could only see the white persona he had become in order to save them back in Hueco Mundo, taking the one person she couldn't seem to stop thinking about. Even though, in her heart, she knew that he was a bad man, she couldn't help but feel this utter despair whenever he came to her mind. _I bet he would just laugh and make fun of me._ _No, not laugh. I don't think I ever heard him laugh. _She kept her eyes on his, without saying anything.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

She could hear the hidden meaning in his words. _"If you can't handle the trauma you've been through, no one would blame you." "Quit being strong." "Stop acting like nothing happened." _Orihime couldn't take the hidden meaning behind his words. She blinked back tears quickly, not wanting the others to see her falter in her confidence. _I won't be that girl anymore._ "I am, Kurosaki-kun." Smiling brightly, she kept her eyes on his, never wavering, as much as her brain told her to stop looking at him. "I'm just sleepy today."

"Not getting much sleep?" Yasutora Sado asked, glancing at her.

"Hai." Not bothering to lie, she began to pick at her sandwich. Her unique taste had not faltered, as she sat there eating a red bean paste and avocado sandwich, the avocados just ripe enough where they were almost too soft, but tasted delicious with the paste. Sitting quieting, she just listened to what the others were saying around her, not really focusing on any one conversation.

The bell rang, signaling their lunch period was over, and that it was time to go back to class. Orihime balled up her foil and made a move to toss it out, and _his_ voice materialized in her head, just the simplest word, and one that had been meant to be an insult to her. _Trash._ It sent a shiver down her spine, as she closed her eyes and instantly saw those bright emerald eyes staring back at her. Her feet guided her back down to their classroom without any further incidents, her friends blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil.

In what seemed like moments, the bell rang once more, signalling the end of the day. Standing up quickly, Orihime gathered her books and placed them in her bag. "I'll see you guys later?" She gave Keigo and Mizuiro a smile, while Tatsuki tried to block their other friend, Chizuru, away from her.

"May I walk you home?"

It seemed the substitute shinigami was waiting for her outside their classroom door. Orihime clutched her book bag tightly, shaking her head. "I will be okay, Kurosaki-kun. I just would like to get home."

"Do you mind if I follow you then?"

There was going to be no way out of it, as she knew his will was stronger than hers was. She gave a small nod of her head, and continued down the hallway, exiting the doors and heading out into the cool winter sunshine. She walked briskly to her apartment, hating that the orange-haired teen wasn't allowing her the space that she desperately needed. As she stuck her key in the lock of her front door, she felt him next to her.

She unlocked the lock and turned to him. "I can't invite you in. I appreciate you walking me home. But I'd like to be alone now." Entering her apartment, she dropped her book bag on the floor and as she closed the door, an object stopped her.

"Please, Inoue..." Ichigo said, keeping his foot firmly planted in the doorway. "I don't know what I've done."

Touching her hairpin, she called Tsubaki out, the male fairy appearing in front of Ichigo's face. "You need to leave her alone, she doesn't want to speak right now!" The tiny fairy pushed the tip of Ichigo's nose, making him move out of the doorway.

"I got it," Ichigo said, turning around. "For what it's worth, Inoue...I'm sorry."

Once Tsubaki came back in, she quickly closed the door, sinking to the floor as a soft sob escaped her throat. "Orihime-chan," Shun'ō said, appearing in front of her. "Are you really okay?"

"I think I need a nap," she spoke to the fairy, her legs wobbling as she stood up from the floor. "My mind is so tired right now, Shun." She shortened her fairy's name, barely able to keep her eyes open as she stumbled towards her bedroom.

Orihime fell onto her bed, her hair fanning out around her cool pillow, as it hadn't been touched since she got up this morning. Sighing softly, her eyes closed completely, the stress of the day washing away as she fell into a deep sleep. She found comfort in her dreams, as she was reliving the moments in Las Noches, the Espada with the emerald green eyes a constant fixture in her memories. Reliving the moment, remembering how she had cried and cried for the orange-haired teen to come back and help her, only to turn into that monster. She looked at the winged version of her captor, not at all scared of what she saw there, as it had been when she was experiencing it first hand. She watched him raise his right hand up towards her, as his surviving wing began to turn to dust.

"_You know what you have to do, onna." _

Sitting up, Orihime clutched her heart as she panted hard, awakening herself up from her dream. Disoriented, she saw that it was only 7 in the evening, her heart still beating rapidly in her chest. The last part of her dream hadn't happened, and she had no idea what it meant. Hearing his voice echo over and over in her mind, she struggled to get out of her school clothes and into something more comfortable. Putting on a pair of jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, she glanced around her room, grabbing a pair of shoes before she closed the door.

Anxious to be on her way, Orihime tied her shoelaces quickly and grabbed her house key, putting it in her pocket as she turned off the lights and put her winter coat on over her sweatshirt. Stepping outside, she looked around and saw no one was waiting for her, even though she felt like someone was watching her. Shivering, she zipped up her coat and doubled checked her door, making sure it had locked properly. Unable to stop the sounds of _his_ voice repeating over and over in her mind, she walked at a brisk pace towards the one place she hoped would be able to help her figure out what was happening to her.

Turning down an alley, she saw that the light was still on in the shoten, and could see the shape of the shop owner standing outside, a cigarette in his hand. "Orihime-chan, what a pleasant surprise," the shoten's owner, Urahara Kisuke, said softly. She stood a few feet away, hugging herself tightly to keep herself warm. "Would you like to come inside for some tea?"

"I..." Orihime gave a firm nod of her head as she stepped up to the shōji, stepping through the minimal crack, her bosom pushing against the frame. Urahara was behind her, the faint smell of cigarette smoke still lingering on his clothes as he pushed it open more. Blushing, she turned her body and walked into the shop with more ease at the extra room. Looking around the shop, she saw that no one appeared to be there, except for, "Konbanwa, Yoruichi-san!" She reached down and gave the black kitty a pet on her head.

A gruff voice gave her a short greeting, "And to you, Inoue-chan."

"Now, tea. Would you prefer green or black?" Urahara went over to the electric tea kettle and began to boil some water. "Please, take a seat. This can't be a friendly visit, as you've never just shown up here without Kurosaki and the others." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his fan, fanning himself playfully. "Sit, sit!" He gestured to the empty table, Orihime taking the place she always sat whenever she did visit with the others.

Pushing her hair back behind her ears, she sighed softly. "I...I'm not sure why I'm here, Urahara-san. I didn't know where else to go."

"What seems to be the trouble? Are you having vivid dreams? Can't seem to keep your concentration while in class since you came back from Hueco Mundo?"

Leave it to the shopkeeper to know just exactly why she was there. The tea kettle began to whistle, and while the shopkeeper busied himself with making two cups, and a saucer for the kitty, Orihime started to speak rapidly. "It isn't that I'm having vivid dreams. It's that I keep having the same dreams over and over. And they're not really dreams, Urahara-san. They're of what happened while I was there." She took off her jacket and set it to the side, already becoming warmer in the shoten than she had been at home.

"There being...Hueco Mundo?" Yoruichi asked, sitting next to her, her yellow eyes shining in the darkness. "Or before then?"

A cup of tea was placed in front of Orihime, which she grabbed quickly and took a tentative sip. "The first one, Yoruichi-san." She looked down at the table, unable to look at either of them. She knew that Urahara was aware of what had happened while they were gone, but none of them had ever spoken about it, as they all tried to get back into having a normal life.

"Did you have a dream this evening?" Urahara asked, the brim of his bucket hat shading his eyes in darkness. "Did something _different_ happen?"

She set the cup down, staring at him. "W-Why would you ask that? Is there something wrong with me? There is, isn't there? He was right. They did something to me while I was there, didn't they? In my sleep? Is that why I can't seem to stop thinking about hi-them?" She almost let it slip that she had been thinking of the emerald-eyed Espada on more than a constant basis, but didn't want the two of them to find her weak for thinking about the person she was supposed to hate.

"Orihime-chan," Urahara fanned his face, before slapping his fan closed. "There is nothing wrong with you. They did not do anything to you. Whatever you may have heard, it was them trying to outsmart the 'enemy', and in this case, Kurosaki-san was just that. The enemy. Both Mayuri-san and I checked you over, and there appeared to be nothing wrong."

Her chestnut colored eyes widened. "Kurotsuchi?" She practically screeched his name, hating that the creepy taichou had examined her. "But...but why?"

"Because we couldn't trust them," Yoruichi said, lapping up some of the tea on her saucer. "Even though you went on your own accord, we still had to make sure that nothing was done to you."

Orihime gulped the rest of her tea down. "So, what does this all mean?"

"Well, did you dream something different? Is that why you've finally decided to show up at my door?" Urahara asked, tipping his hat backwards to show her his grey eyes. "Because, Orihime-chan, I expected this meeting a lot sooner."

"I...Hai. I did. And if you were expecting me, then why didn't you just ask me earlier?" Orihime asked, tilting her head to the side quizzically. "Because I've been here with the others a lot more times since we got back from there."

Chuckling, the shopkeeper gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Because, I couldn't force you to see something, if you were not willing to see it." He stood up, brushing his backside off. "Come with me, Orihime-chan. I've got something I'd like for you to see."

She followed him out of the side room and watched him open the trapdoor in the floor, and began to descend downwards. Doing as she was told, she followed him down the stairs, her stomach beginning to twist as she made her way down. When she came to the bottom, she squealed as Urahara grabbed her waist and set her gently down on the ground. "Urahara-san!"

"He was doing that because of me," Yoruichi said, hopping down onto the ground. "Kisuke, why do you have to be so vague with her? Just tell her why you wanted to bring her down here, instead of making a big production of it."

Orihime stared, as the shopkeeper leapt upwards, landing on one of the wooden posts, that was jutting out from the face of the boulder it was embedded in. She could hear him speaking softly, as he placed his zanpakuto on the wooden post.

"My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality. The black-haired shepherd is hung from a chair. Stratus clouds come, and I strike down the ibis"**. **The sound of fabric splitting resonated in the air, as a black void opened between the post Urahara was standing on, and the post opposite to it. "Now, Orihime-chan," he called down to her, "you will have twenty-four hours the moment you get to your destination. Once that twenty-four hours is up, I will open this once more, so you can come home. Do you understand?"

The normally bubbly teen shook her head. "Wh-What are you doing?" She let out another squeal as she felt herself being lifted up by someone.

"You seem to have unsettled business back in Hueco Mundo," Yoruichi said, no longer a kitten but her human self. "I'm going to lead you there, as it will be a far easier task for me to do so, than have you stumble on your way there by yourself."

Her heart began to pound in her chest, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. Looking around, she saw that she was now in the void, moving between the two worlds. Unlike the time she left with _him_, they had just made a few steps, and had ended up in Hueco Mundo. However, the way Urahara had them traveling, it would probably take a lot longer.

Looking down, she saw that she was running along a light blue path. "Yoruichi-san? What exactly are we running on?" She asked, trying to keep pace with the fast Shinigami.

"I'm focusing the reishi, so we have a stable path. Which is why I'm guiding you in this form, as I didn't want to risk trying to do this in my cat form. We're not in the Dangai, so there's no worries of the cleaner coming to sweep us up." Yoruichi turned and smiled at her. "I'd rather have a stable path, than have you try and find your footing on your own."

Feeling her stomach begin to twist more, she could barely keep the excitement out of her voice. Except, she wasn't sure why she was so excited. There would be nothing there. She had no idea why Urahara thought she had to go there. It was going to be pointless. Shaking her head clear of the negative thoughts, she smiled at Yoruichi. "Will you be there for me in 24 hours, then? And why 24 hours? Why is Urahara-san doing this?"

"Let's just say he's operating on a hunch. And his hunches are pretty accurate, Orihime." Yoruichi began to slow down as a hole began to appear. "It looks like we're almost there. You are wearing a watch, yes?"

Orihime glanced down at her wrist and panicked when she didn't see her wristwatch. "No!" She cried out, afraid that all was going to be lost because she had forgotten to put it on when she left her apartment in a hurry. "Yoruichi-san! What am I going to do? How will I know when it's been long enough?!"

"Here," the shinigami handed her a pocket watch. "Just make sure that you keep your eye on the time. Are you ready?"

She didn't know what to say. There was a part of her that was more than ready, and there was the doubtful part, the one that was screaming to just go back with Yoruichi. "I..." She cried out as she was pushed through the wall, given no choice in the matter.

"Be safe, Orihime-chan." Yoruichi said, as she fell down, landing in soft sand.

The sound of fabric splitting happened once more, as Orihime looked up to see the hole she had fallen out of zip back up, as if nothing had ever been there. Looking up, she saw that she was back in the one place she didn't think she'd be seeing again, the permanent night sky a welcoming sight. All the angst she had been feeling in the world of the Living seemed to be suddenly gone, as she gazed up at the crescent moon. Looking back, she saw the remnants of Las Noches, after the fierce battle between...

Shaking her head of the memories, hating to see him disappear with the wind, Orihime began to walk towards Las Noches, hoping that her feet would remember where to go. She felt completely alien as she walked through the empty halls, heading towards the room she had stayed in when she had come here willingly. There was still a hole in the wall, from the blast that Grimmjow had produced, coming to her rescue when those two girls had tried to hurt her.

Orihime stepped into the room, and saw that the rug was still in its same place, as was the couch, and the small table for one. She walked over to the high window, staring between the bars, looking at the night sky once more. Sighing, she moved away and walked over to the small wardrobe that had held multiple versions of the clothes Aizen-sama had wanted her to wear. Without thinking twice, she began to strip out of her clothes, kicking her shoes off without bothering to untie them, as she slipped her jeans down her legs. Grabbing the white hakama, she slipped them on, the feel of the cool fabric against her legs a warm welcome. She hadn't realized how badly she had missed the feel of the cloth, having been in it for so long, that _not_ being in it made her feel off. She slipped her sweatshirt off, pulling her shirt off with it, as she grabbed the black and white corset, putting it on over her head. She tucked the garment under the black waistband of her hakama, grabbing the cloak from its hanger, and slipped it onto her arms. Clasping it above her bosom, she grabbed the last piece, the skirt that rested on top of the hakama she wore, and stepped into it.

With a soft sigh of being comfortable, she left her discarded clothes on the floor and made her way back to the window, a calm finally settling over her. Orihime still didn't understand why Urahara had sent her back, but she was thankful to finally no longer feel as off-kilter as she had been. Perhaps it was Stockholm Syndrome, or perhaps there was something inside of her that neither brilliant mind could detect. Whatever it was, she didn't care. She felt her heart begin to beat faster, her stomach dancing an unknown dance, as she felt someone watching her. Almost too terrified to turn around and see nothing, Orihime began to turn her head towards the left, looking over her shoulder as her body followed. Her mouth dropped open as she stared at the apparition at the door.

"Welcome back...Onna."

...

* * *

**A/N:** Up next, the conclusion. :D Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is where the 'M' rating appears.**

* * *

...

She blinked back tears, trying to understand just what she was seeing. "Y-You...you can't be here. I watched you disappear into nothing!" Her heart beat faster as she watched the ghost at the door, standing in his customary pose, his hands inside the deep pockets of his hakama.

"And yet, here I stand. If you do not believe that I am corporeal, then I am not sure how to make you see what is before you." The raven haired Espada spoke in a soft tone, his emerald eyes meeting hers without waver.

Her feet moved without her knowledge, and soon found herself directly in front of him. "If you're here, then where is your cracked mask? That's not on your head!" Orihime wanted to touch the left side of his head, for there was no white Hollow mask there, nor could she see his Hollow hole, but that was no surprise to her. He wore his jacket zipped up, but she was still wary.

Closing his eyes, she saw the black markings that went along his upper lid, as well as along his water line, barely hearing him sigh. "Onna, do you really need for me to explain why that is no longer there?"

"I..." She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks, becoming embarrassed for not realizing why her question was not a valid one. Reaching up, she could feel the warmth radiating off of him, but still could not bring herself to touch his body. "I'm not sure."

His eyes snapped open as he took a step closer to her. "If you must ask why my mask is no longer there, perhaps the better question for you to ask is why am I no longer in the last form you saw me?"

Gasping, her eyes widened. "That's right! You don't have your..." The word 'wings' caught in her throat, the memory still so fresh in her mind. His barely formed leg and arm, the damage too much for him to regenerate any more. How, at that moment, she knew she had to see him again, and would never look at the substitute shinigami the same way she had for so many years. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the Espada move his lips.

"Are you frightened of me?"

Now she wasn't sure if this was a trick of her mind, or if he had spoken those words just now. The last words he had spoken to her directly made her stop, the silence deafening. She stopped breathing, she stopped thinking. All she could do was look at him, with her mouth barely open. Knowing that what she was about to do would go against everything in her mind, but she could not stop herself. Crossing that last distance between the two of them, Orihime placed a hand on his cheek, shivering as she touched the alabaster skin, her vibrant green fingernail touching the line of green that ran the length of his cheek, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she found that he was indeed real. "No, I'm not frightened of you," she whispered softly, fascinated as he turned his face towards her hand.

"You should be." His lips touched the palm of her hand, making her weak in the knees. "I am not sure why I have this form once more, as you saw me disappear with your own eyes." She could hear his hands rustling in his pants, almost a nervous gesture.

As the shock of his lips on her palm began to wear off, she looked at him. "Why...why did you just do that?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, her heart still beating fast within her ribcage. She felt as if she were hyperventilating, and really hoped that it didn't sound that way, as she didn't want him to know he had this effect on her.

"Isn't that what you humans call a kiss?" His head lifted, his emerald eyes glancing up into hers. Orihime gave a small nod of her head, her face becoming flushed at how _innocent_ he sounded. "Is that not what you want, Onna?"

Her eyelids fell closed, as she felt his lips dance over her hand once more. "I...I don't know what I want..."

"But you came back here for a reason, yes?" Ever the persistent know-it-all, his lips paused mid-kiss to ask her the question she knew had been coming.

Orihime turned around, pulling her hand away from him. "I don't know why I came back." Wandering over to the small window, she looked past the bars and stared up at the backwards crescent moon. "I didn't feel like I belonged anymore back in my world. I felt like a stranger. I had nothing to speak of to the people I had once called 'friends'." She tried not to squeak when she felt the weight of his hand pressing on her right shoulder. Keeping her eyes towards the moon, Orihime attempted to not think of the person that seemed to be moving closer and closer to her body. She whispered softly, "Did you really do something to me? Is that why I can't seem to stop thinking of this place?"

"I do not know why you would think that we did something to you." His other hand pulled the hair that had fallen over her left shoulder to lay against her back, the gentle movement forcing her eyes to close tightly. "Onna...you said you were not frightened..." Orihime bit her lower lip more as the coolness of his breath touched the side of her neck, on the minimal flesh that was exposed.

Releasing her lower lip, she stood tall. "I'm not." She kept her head held high, refusing to let her gaze waver, as she stared at the darkened sky. "I..."

"Would it make you feel more comfortable if we were to retire from this room?"

The simple question wasn't one she had been anticipating. "But where would we go?" Curiosity getting the better of her, she turned and looked at him. Her chest bumped into his accidentally, as she hadn't realized just how close he had been standing to her. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" She tried to move backwards, but as close as she had been standing to the barred window, she had very limited space, and only bumped into the wall. Her eyes grew wide once more as she watched her former captor moved closer to her. "Please..." she whispered, boring holes into his emerald eyes.

"Please, what, Onna...?" He moved back closer to her, their chests touching once more. "If you are not frightened, then what is the matter?"

"You," she whispered, her resolve finally breaking. "You're what's the matter."

"Me?" His left eyebrow lifted up. "How am I the issue?" He raised his right arm, placing his palm against the wall, just above Orihime's left shoulder. "Please explain to me why you think that I am the problem." His left hand soon was placed on the opposite side of her head, keeping her trapped against the wall.

Opening her mouth to answer, she felt the words catch in her throat, unable to speak at all. With him being so near to her, after being gone for what felt like an eternity, her mind stopping working as her heart took over. She barely focused on his emerald eyes as her lids fell closed once more, and as she was about to close the gap between the two of their lips, he moved first, beating her to it. The butterflies that had been present in her stomach on the trip to this world came back in full force, as she felt her breath leave her body as their lips collided for the first time

She had never kissed anyone on the lips before, and had no idea if what she was doing was appropriate or not. But she didn't think it mattered, as this man shouldn't even be here right now, and was not a normal human to begin with. As their lips touched, she perceived that his lips were initially cool, but after a few soft pecks, they were soon the same temperature as her own. Orihime felt her body tremble as a low moan came from her captor, as his hand became entangled in her hair. Sighing softly, her lips parted as she let her body mold into his, her chest pressing against his once more. Her hands were balled up into fists, unsure of what she should be doing. Moving her lips against his, it was exactly what she had wanted deep down in her heart to have always happened, but she had been too afraid to show him. Too blind by her love of the substitute shinigami to allow her to feel anything towards her captor. But the moment he left her, she knew that he was the person that had captivated her heart. Another soft sigh flitted past her lips, as she felt his hand hold the back of her head gently. And then, something happened.

One moment, their lips were touching, and the next...she felt something wet and slippery against her tongue. Her eyes flew open as she realized he was french kissing her, his eyes still closed, a look of what appeared to be contentment on his face. Orihime tried to stop her nerves from getting the best of her, and closed her eyes once more, letting him lead the dance of their tongues touching each other. She could feel wetness in her panties, making an effort to not think about what it was, but she knew. From her biology class in the seventh grade, she knew what was happening. The more his tongue touched hers, the more she could feel the wetness increasing. Just the feel of his hand on her head had made her body react that way. Feeling her chest beginning to constrict, she realized she was running out of air fast, and gently broke off the kiss, panting softly.

"U-Ulquiorra..." She moaned softly. The Espada clearly was not ready to be finished, the soft feel of his lips suddenly grazing the side of her neck. Unballing her fists, she placed both of her hands on his shoulders, surprised by how muscular he felt.

He lifted his head, looking at her with heated eyes. "Orihime, let me move us to another room?"

"H-Hai." The word had scarcely left her mouth, when his arms picked her up and with the blink of an eye, they were no longer in her room. She pressed her head against his chest, keeping away from where she knew his Hollow hole was, hoping that wherever he was taking her, it wouldn't take very long. She didn't like traveling at this fast speed, with no control over it. She also didn't care to be reminded of the destruction that was all over the place, that memory still so very strong.

It felt like an eternity had passed since he had taken her away from her soundless prison, and set her back down on terra firma. Looking around, the room was almost identical to the one she had been in. "It isn't much, but I know that you were never taken to this room during your stay with us. I thought it would make you feel more at ease." Ulquiorra began to place his hands back in his pockets, but as soon as her hand reached out and wrapped around his wrist, he stopped. Looking down, he stared at her hand. "What are you doing?"

"I only have so much time here," Orihime's soft lilt forced his eyes upwards. "I don't want you to close yourself off from me, when you just took my breath away back there." She moved her hand down, pressing her palm against his own, not bothered by how cool his touch was. "Where did you bring me?"

"My room."

Now she was more interested in taking a look around, but didn't want to seem to be too excited. Keeping her cool facade, she kept her palm against his and took a quick look around. There was a picture on the wall that made her heart stop. Not caring what he would say, she dropped his hand and walked over to it, picking it up to look at it. "That's strange..."

"What is, onna?"

As he slipped back into his old habit, she pulled the picture off the wall and examined it. "I didn't know that a picture like this could be taken." The picture was of her, using Santen Kesshun, in the park back in Karakura Town. When she had first encountered the man next to her.

"Yes, you would be correct. However, Szayelaporro was able to produce an image supplied by my mind's eye, and created this." He took the picture from her hands and placed it back on the wall, pressing it firmly so that it would not fall off. "Is there anything else you would like to ask about my room?"

A slight blush scattered across her cheeks. "No..." She replied with a slight hesitancy.

"I have a question for you, then." Black hair rested on both sides of his nose. He walked over towards another part of the room, where a curtained off four posted bed was placed. He pulled back a panel of sheer curtaining, revealing a rather large bed. The bed was covered by what appeared to be a fluffy obsidian comforter, with black pillow cases. "Would you like to make yourself more comfortable, Orihime?"

Weak in the knees once more from how he said her name, she gave a small nod of her head and walked as casually as she could to the bed. A part of her wanted to take a running leap, to see if the comforter was as soft as it looked, but didn't want to make a fool of herself. Instead, she hopped up onto the bed as gracefully as she could, as it was high off the ground. She squeaked when she felt Ulquiorra's arms on her waist, helping her up further on the bed. "I...I can manage!" Her cheeks were now a vivid red.

"Of course," the Espada removed his hands from her waist. "Please, make yourself comfortable. I will not sit on the bed, if it makes you nervous."

Giggling to break the tension that was suddenly thick in the air, she pushed herself backwards, her back now resting comfortably against the plethora of pillows that she hadn't seen from the angle she had been standing in. "I don't want to be in your bed without you, silly!" Hearing the words leave her mouth left her slightly mortified, but it instantly went away when she saw a small smile appear on the Espada's face.

"Will it make you uncomfortable, though?" His knee touched the bed, the curtain falling back into its place, leaving them in their own private hideaway.

Orihime took a deep breath, and grunted softly as she shook her head. "No. Well, everything is already making me very uncomfortable, but that's because I've never done any of this before. I've never kissed someone, I've never been in someone else's bed, I've never been this excited and nervous at the same time. I've never -"

She quit speaking when a cool finger was placed against her lips, the black polish on the nail just barely visible in her line of sight. "Onna, you are rambling." The blush returned once more as she closed her eyes, trying to hide away from his penetrating gaze. He lowered his finger from her lips and picked up her hand. "Why are your nails this way?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Orihime said without thinking. She watched him as he stared at her nails, examining each one carefully. It was her turn to smile, as she watched him continue to examine both of her hands. "It may not be the exact same color, but it's as close as I could find at the store I went to."

"Color?" He spoke softly. "What do you mean that it is not the exact same?" He held up her hand to his face, staring back at her. "Does it not look the same?"

Her eyes focused between both her hand and the small emerald strips that ran down from his eyes, and saw that the shade she had picked was almost exact. "I...I guess I picked better than I thought."

"How much time do you have here?" Ulquiorra took her hand, placing a soft kiss in the palm of her hand. Shivering at the sensual touch, she stared at him with bright eyes, trying to remember how to speak. His warm breath caressed her palm as he continued to pepper her palm with more kisses.

Shaking her head, she kept her hand absolutely still. "I...I'm not sure. When I arrived, I had 24 hours. But I have no idea how much time has passed. Why? Are you going to disappear before then?" Orihime's voice pitched higher on her last question, without her being able to stop it. She didn't want him to go yet!

"I am not sure," he replied, gently easing her to lay back on the pillows. She followed willingly, no resistance in her body whatsoever. "I don't remember when I came back to this form. It may have been an hour, it may have been a week."

With her bright chestnut eyes, she took his hand and gently placed it at the top of her breasts. Meeting his emerald eyes, he began to unclasp the jacket she had put on over her corset, her heart beating unbelievably loud in her ears. "Are you frightened?"

The words washed over her body as she suddenly felt nothing but bliss at what she was experiencing. "No, I'm not," she spoke softly, arching up off the bed to help him pull off the skirt off. With the top layers gone, there was nothing stopping him from removing more of her clothes. She wasn't frightened, but nervous. Nervous and scared, for that fear of never having doing something like this before was still plaguing her thoughts.

"What is it you're thinking about, Onna?" Ulquiorra asked, his hands barely brushing the top of her breasts. The use of what she had come to like as her nickname was said was a gentle kindness, rather than the snarky way he would normally enunciate it. Immediately, she felt more at ease, with that simple phrase. "Would you rather I remove a piece of clothing first, before I continue?"

Reaching up with an unsteady hand, Orihime touched the top of his jacket collar, gently pulling down on the zipper. Taking a few steady breaths, she pulled it towards his sternum, and saw that his Hollow hole was still where it had been before, looking as it had before he had changed into that form she watched him disappear as. "Are you here because you were able to regenerate?" She knew that it had to have been a foolish question, but she couldn't stand the silence that had come over the both of them. She stared unabashedly at his Hollow hole, as she removed his jacket, exposing his alabaster chest. There was nothing there, no blackness flowing from the hole, and that pressure she had felt, when he had turned into his other form was not there. The jacket was set on the side of the bed, where the Espada pushed it off the side of the bed.

"I am not certain." He laid down next to her on the bed, compelling her to turn and lay on her side to face him. "Orihime, I would like to ask you one more question."

She watched his black stained upper lip as her name was spoken. "H-Hai...?"

"Please do not mind me if I am being too forward, but I would rather like it if you and I could make relations."

Stated so matter of fact, Orihime began giggling at the absurdity of it all. Finally at peace within herself, the giggles continued to escalate until she was in tears, the warm liquid streaming from the sides of her eyes as the entire situation hit her over the head. Gasping for breath, she tried to calm down her fit, but with the stern look in her captor's eyes, they came back full force.

"Onna, why are you laughing? I thought it was a valid question. If the thought of relations with me is making you laugh in this manner, why are you laying on my bed with me? I thought that this would be the perfect indicator of what I'd like to do with you and your body."

Still the giggles kept leaving her mouth, with Mr. Serious all upset at her joyous laughter, which made her laugh even harder. Maybe it was her nerves finally kicking in, or perhaps it was genuine happiness. It had been so long since she had laughed in this manner, Orihime wasn't quite sure. Finally getting herself under control, she wiped the tears from her face and smiled at him. "I'm laughing because you're so formal and serious. It's weird and off putting, and it makes me laugh." Leaning over, she kissed his pursed lips meekly, hoping she hadn't already ruined everything. She felt his lips soften at once, and soon found herself being pulled closer to his body.

She felt his hand on the back of her corset, unhooking each hook. Her heart sped up as his cool fingers finally touched her bare back. Moaning softly into the kiss, she parted her lips and ran her tongue along his bottom lip, silently asking permission to deepen their kiss. A low groan was heard as his lips parted for her, Orihime gently pushing her tongue inside of his mouth. _If I keep my mind occupied I won't think about what's..._her thoughts trailed off as the garment was pulled away from her body, their tongues still touching each other languishly. There was nothing that separated their two bodies, except for a small space.

Ulquiorra broke off the kiss with ease as he placed his left hand on her lower back, pulling her to be against him. She shivered as her breasts touched his pale chest, the coolness of his skin a relief on her hot skin. "Would you prefer to be under the blankets, Orihime?" Their eyes locked for a moment as she answered his question with a small nod. He reached beneath the pillows and pulled the blankets down, lifting them high for her to scoot under.

"Arigatou," she whispered as she got beneath the warmth of the blankets. She kept her eyes on him, and was relieved when he got beneath the blankets with her. "Are you...?"

Lowering his head, he kissed her neck softly. "If you are worried about my next course of action, do not be. I will not do anything to harm you. I plan on making your body feel alive, as you made me feel."

Orihime moaned softly, tilting her head to the side as she gave him more room to do as he pleased. "I'm not worried, Ulquiorra..." She felt his teeth graze the side of her neck as she said his name. "Please...continue...?"

"I will, Orihime."

His lips began to travel down her neck, before stopping at her clavicle. His tongue began to lap at the hollow of her neck, the soft touches of his tongue sending more tremors through her body. She gasped as she felt a cool hand finally touch the one area she had been hoping he would explore. He lifted up her right breast, fondling it gently, her pert nipple resting in the palm of his hand. As he moved his hand a little, Orihime moaned audibly as she tried to push her breast back into his hand, the feeling of how her nipple rubbed against his cool palm had felt exquisite. His lips stayed against her neck, as he began to knead her right breast, her moans increasing in volume at the soft caresses of his hand.

Clenching her hands on the bed sheet, Orihime arched her back in further hopes of feeling more of his hand. As she arched, the emerald-eyed Espada removed his lips from the base of her throat and soon kissed her sternum, in the exact spot where his Hollow hole was located. She moaned softly, and removed her right hand from its death grip on the sheet, and placed it on the back of his head, threading her fingers through his raven locks. She was surprised at how soft his hair was, and was soon pulling on it gently as his mouth found its way to her left breast.

A soft cry fell from her lips as her head fell backwards the moment his mouth encircled her nipple. Hoping that she wasn't being too forward with her hand in his hair, she just let her worries disappear and just allowed herself to feel. As his tongue swept across her nipple, his other hand showed diligent attention to her other breast, making the wetness between her thighs increase ten-fold. She knew she was moaning, could almost hear herself, but wasn't sure how loud she was being. Everything felt so good, that it didn't seem to bother her.

"Orihime, your voice," Ulquiorra said, lifting his head to look up at her. "You are enjoying this?" Meeting his gaze, she nodded her head yes, her fingers grasping his hair. She sighed sadly as his hand slid away from her breast, but shivered as his fingers danced along the side of her body. "I am going to remove your pants now." There was no question behind what he was saying to her, but she nodded her head in agreement.

His hand slipped beneath the black band of her hakama, and with two gentle tugs, removed everything from the lower half of her body. No skirt, no pants, no panties. Everything was gone, leaving her totally exposed. "Orihime," the Espada's lips pressed against her sternum once more. "May I pull back the blanket for just a moment, so that I may see your body?" She gave him her approval by a simple nod of her head, too nervous to speak.

The blanket lifted up, a quick draft making her body cold for a moment. But as she looked up at his face, any coldness she felt was gone and replaced by an indescribable heat. She laid her hands down on the bed, a small part of her mind tried to tell her to cover herself, but by placing her hands on the bed in that fashion, she could not listen. She felt more of that indescribable heat wash over her body as he looked at all of her, and only blushed a little when he beckoned her legs to part for him.

"True beauty, Onna..." Again, the name held no hostility, and gave her that familiar comfort as he looked between her thighs, staring at a part of her body that no one, man or woman, had ever seen. Just as she was reaching her threshold, the blanket fell back down, covering them both up. His lips found hers, kissing her softly as their bodies molded together. "Would you like it if I touched you down there, Onna...?"

"I would," Orihime nodded, her eyes half-lidded as her body began to run on pure adrenaline. She pulled him back towards her, kissing his lips, and within moments, a soft rub of her tongue against his before he pulled apart from her, leaving her panting softly.

Ulquiorra began to leave a soft trail of kisses down her body, pausing a moment to worship both of her breasts, drawing soft moans from Orihime's mouth. She looked down and felt her body shake as his lips kissed her right hip bone, then moved to kiss her left hip bone. Unconsciously, she spread her legs a little bit, so he could settle between them. Her eyes on his black nails, his hand disappeared as he laid flat on his stomach. He guided her to lift her knees up, gently wrapping his right arm over her left thigh.

The moment his tongue touched her inner folds, she let out a loud moan, shocked by how good it felt. The coolness of his tongue, intermixed with his warm breath on her mound was mindblowing. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt the hand that disappeared from her view pry her folds apart, exposing her completely to him. Holding her breath, she cried out as his fingers stayed in place, allowing his tongue to lick along her center. "U-Ulquiorra!"

A low moan came from the Espada's throat as his tongue swept over her center more. She felt her body becoming hotter and hotter by the moment, and had no idea why. He moved his head, his lips now wrapping around the small folds at the top of her maidenhood, and began to suck gently. Her eyes flew open as her moans pitched higher the more he sucked on that particular spot on her body. She felt something slip inside of her, presumably his finger. Too many sensations at once was making her mind become muddled, attempting to focus on everything that was happening to her. As his finger moved inside of her, she gasped softly in pain, as he pushed past what had been her maidenhood.

"Do not worry, Orihime," Ulquiorra spoke softly, peppering the top of her mound with feather-like kisses, as his finger remained in her. "It is better that this happens this way."

A single tear slipped out of her eye, but she no longer felt any pain. "I...I understand," she moaned softly as she felt his finger go further inside of her. He added a second finger, the pain returning for an instant, before quickly subsidizing. She leaned her head back and whispered his name as his lips returned to the folds just above her folds. The Espada's tongue began to swirl around it, moaning low in his throat. The frequency of his moan made her insides shake and she cried out loudly as her body felt like it was going to burst. With one final push of his fingers inside of her, she suddenly found herself flying off into orbit, white appearing behind her eyes as every bit of her body shook from extreme pleasure.

The fingers that were inside of her slipped out of her, making her feel sad at the loss. With a sweep of his tongue, he lapped up some of her release, paying special attention to her center. She wantonly moaned as he began to push her back towards that cliff, with just the simple movements of his tongue. "Ul-Ulquiorra...please...I can't..." She cried out in pleasure, knowing very well that she could, but wanted to see how the Espada would react.

His tongue gave one final lick to her center, as he pulled back and looked up at her, his eyes seeming to have a slight sparkle to them. "Does this mean you would not like for me to..."

Words were left unsaid, but Orihime knew what he was implying. Deciding that they had already gone this far, there would be no harm in continuing it further. She didn't know how long he would stay like this, how _they_ would stay like this, and every part of her mind screamed to just go with it. She belonged to him, and by taking this next step, she always would and that was exactly what she wanted. "What about protection?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but she knew she had to ask the simple question, as she did _not_ want there to be that sort of consequence from what they were about to do.

"Unnecessary," Ulquiorra said, laying next to her on the bed. She watched as he slid his own hakama off of his body, revealing his entire body to her. Her eyes locked onto the lower half of his body, her heart stopping in her chest as she stared at his impressive arousal. "But, if you do not trust me, then I can give you something that will take away any worries of you becoming with child. Arrancar cannot produce offspring that way you humans can."

"But..." Orihime was afraid to voice what she was thinking, as her eyes stayed glued on him.

"Onna," Ulquiorra's hand touched her chin, lifting her head up to look him in the eyes. "There is nothing inside of me that can create life. Do you see the hole in my chest? " He took her hand, placing it near his Hollow hole. "There is nothing here. You are my heart. I want you to be comfortable with this, but I also would like for you to see that it will be okay."

Her hands splayed on his chest. "How can I trust you? What if you're just saying this to do these things to me?"

"Because I am asking. However," he produced a small package out of nowhere. "I shall wear this, if it makes you feel more at ease. But you must place it on me."

She took the small package and looked at it. "I can do that." She nodded, her chest heaving as she realized what she was about to do. Tearing the package open, she saw a very thin condom, and hoped that it would be enough. She trusted him, that Arrancar were different, but after being drilled 'Protection always!' by her friends, she didn't want to disappoint anyone. She looked at it, then looked back up at him. "How am I supposed to do this?"

"Roll it on." A small smirk appeared on his impassive face, making her heart flutter faster.

Biting her lower lip, she placed the opening of the condom on the tip of his arousal, a look of concentration on her face. Before rolling it onto him, she wanted to touch him, skin to skin, first. She wrapped her hand around his girth, and heard him moan low as she slid it down, then back up slowly. Unsure of what boys enjoyed, she moved slow, but with purpose. She stared down at him, touching the crown with her fingertip. Every part of his body was alabaster in color, _every_ part. She had thought that perhaps this part of his anatomy would be flesh colored, but strangely, she wasn't disappointed by it. She was quite pleased with how it looked, and how it seemed to respond to her touches, even though she had no idea what she was doing. After a few more soft strokes, she rolled the condom down, moaning softly when she heard him groan softly at the small action. She continued to roll it down his length, only stopping when she arrived at the base of his arousal. Unable to remove her hand, she moved it back up, squeezing gently.

"Do you like how it feels?" Ulquiorra asked her. She looked up at him and smiled bashfully, nodding her head. "Is this the first time you've touched one?" Any other person, she would have taken that as a condescending remark, but from him, it was different. It was always different.

"Hai." The blush returned to her cheeks, but quickly disappeared as she felt his hand on her face, gently moving her face to look up at him. "Ulquiorra? Should I lay down now?"

He nodded his head, guiding her to lay back down on the mattress. "Orihime, if I hurt you, it will only be momentary." His hand cupped her face as she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. "You will not be in pain for long, and soon, you should feel as I do when you are with me."

"Complete?" She whispered, looking up into his emerald eyes. His lips turned up into a small smile, and nodded as he settled between her legs. "Please...go slow...?"

His lips kissed the side of her neck, before speaking faintly in her ear, "I will."

Anticipation flooded through her body, her heart beginning to pump faster as she felt him begin to press against her folds. Pulling apart her legs, she felt the tip push into her, her eyes closing tightly as she began to panic. Soft kisses distracted her, his lips brushing against the side of her neck as he pushed himself further into her body. She reached up and gripped onto his shoulders tightly, a soft cry of pain passing from her lips. Breathing faster, she could feel him going further and further inside of her, the pain becoming almost unbearable. She was about to scream, to tell him to stop, when the pain disappeared with a flash. Her eyes opened and locked onto his emerald ones, as he had been watching her throughout the entire ordeal. Understanding passed between the two of them as her lips parted, a soft moan filling the silence.

His chest pressed against her, the feel of his cool body against her inflamed breasts made her moan more, as he began to rock his hips slowly. She relaxed her grip on his shoulders, and instead wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him close to her body. She listened to his soft grunts, as their bodies began to move as one, his body thrusting against hers, as she moved in time with each thrust. She felt herself becoming hot once more, the bliss she had felt before coming back fast. They spoke each others names every so often, making sure that each knew this was really happening, as they were both approaching their finish together. Her chest bounced as he began to move faster, his low moans ringing in her ears as she cried out with each thrust, his arousal hitting her in just the right spot, his pelvis rubbing against the place his mouth had been earlier. Orihime threw her head back as she moaned loud, her body bursting once more as she flew back into orbit, moaning his name over and over. She felt him move faster and soon was listening to her own name fall in effigy from his lips as he reached his own end.

They held on to each other as they came down from their bliss, and after a few languish moments, the Espada pulled out of her, taking his place beside her on the bed. She heard some rustling, figuring it was just him disposing of what she had put onto him, and then felt his arms wrap around her body. She rested her head on his chest, her breath coming out in short pants. She felt his hand on her hair and soon was drifting off to sleep, whispering, "Aishiteru" over and over.

She awoke a little later, and saw that Ulquiorra was still resting peacefully. As she rested her head back on his chest, she heard someone clear their throat. Hoping that the blanket was still wrapped around their bodies, she turned over and pulled the sheer curtain back, looking out into the room.

"We must leave soon. Sorry to intrude, but I couldn't find you. The Garganta will only stay open for so long." Yoruichi's gruff voice came out as she had shape-shifted back into her feline persona. "Say your goodbye, and then meet me back outside. I have your normal clothes out there, there is no need to return to where they were left" The kitten walked out of the room, leaving Orihime mortified and speechless.

Ulquiorra pulled her back towards him. "What are you doing? You were nice and warm."

"I..." She felt her eyes begin to well up once more, hating that her time was already up. "Ulquiorra, I have to go now."

He turned her to look at him. "Do not be sad, Onna. I am glad that you were able to come back here, and I was able to tell you how I feel about you."

"You were?" Orihime asked, confused. "But you never said..."

"Yet." His lips turned up into another small smirk. "You gave me my heart. I love you because you gave that to me." He kissed her softly.

She pulled back and gave him a small smile. "I love you, Ulquiorra. I know that now. If...If I ever can come back.."

"I may not be here," the Espada said. "But we have this night, yes?"

Trying to keep her brave face on, Orihime nodded as she quickly got dressed. "We do." Once she was all ready to go. "I guess this is goodbye?" She asked, her voice wavering, her resolve slowly crumbling.

"For now, Orihime." Her stomach flip-flopped at that, hoping against hope that he was correct. She leaned over and kissed him once last time before fleeing the room, her tears almost blinding her.

She made it back out to the darkened night, and saw that Yoruichi was back in her human form. "You can get dressed back at Urahara's. There isn't much time." Yoruichi handed her her clothes.

They both jumped into the Garganta, Orihime trailing behind Yoruichi at a fast pace. There were so many thoughts running through her head, she was grateful that the woman wasn't asking her any questions. She knew she couldn't deny what the woman had seen, and nor did she feel like she had to. She had gone back with a purpose, and was very pleased with how it all turned out. Yoruichi jumped out of the Garganta first, landing safely on the training grounds beneath Urahara's shop. Orihime jumped down, landing just as gracefully, trying to keep her clothes in her arms.

"Well, Miss Inoue, how did things go?" Urahara asked, his striped bucket hat tilted upwards. "Did you find your peace of mind?"

She smiled brightly at him, nodding her head. "I did, Urahara-san. Thank you so much for arranging this for me. I feel..."

"Normal?" Urahara finished for her, a large smile on his visage as she nodded in agreement. "Then, I'm glad I was able to help you. It's just past midnight, so there should be plenty of time for you to make it home. Would you like an escort?"

Orihime shook her head. "No, I think I'll be fine. Again, thank you both so very much." She walked over to the ladder and climbed her way up to the top.

Knowing that Yoruichi was probably filling in the shop keeper how she had found her, she made a mad dash out of the building and traveled to her home fast. As she entered into her home, she dropped her clothes on the floor, locking the door behind her. Her feet led her to her small bedroom, where she laid down on the bed, the smell of him still lingering on his clothes.

"_We have this night, yes?"_ She buried her face into her pillow, giggling to herself. _We have this night, and so much more._

…

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for reading this! :D


End file.
